Ingersoll Rand largely fell off my radar in recent years.
I tested a few of their cordless power tools more than a decade ago. They were decent, but the selection was very limited, and the tools quickly fell behind the competition.
IR seems to have trickled out a couple of more modernized tools, such as the above reciprocating saw, and I’m wondering if readers have bought any of them.
Advertisement
To me, Ingersoll Rand is an industrial air compressor and air systems company. Their subsidiaries, such as ARO, fit into the same space.
Many users have moved away from air tools, preferring cordless battery-powered solutions instead, especially from brands like Milwaukee Tool.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that IR has been revisiting the cordless power tool space, although their focus still seems to be very limited.
Now, they’ve also got hand tools, such as this screwdriver set.
They also have pliers, plus wrenches, sockets, ratchets, and more.
Some commercial buyers might like the idea of a one-stop brand.
Advertisement
But what about individual tool users? Are you buying any of these IR hand or cordless power tools?
MM
I’ve been interested in the C1101 body saw, but I’m not really interested in any of their others and I’m hesitant to buy into the system for just that one tool. It’s only a matter of time before another cordless brand makes something similar.
Chris
I purchased this exact model at a previous employer because we needed a cordless body saw and no one else made one. It worked just fine but man I’d like to see a M12 version.
MM
I’d love an M12 version as well. I think it’s likely they will make one too. Milwaukee has started targeting the autobody trade, last year they came out with two bandfiles, earlier this year they announced a pair of 6″ sanders, a body saw would be a logical part of that system.
Rog
Why would anyone buy these? Do they sell them on the back of the tool trucks? I genuinely don’t know where I’d find these.
TomD
Big companies have purchasing agreements with vendors – if you can get a tool from an approved vendor it’s way way easier than trying to expense something at Home Depot.
doneanddusted
Exactly.
I’ve worked at companies where some facilities guy went out and made mass purchases of Lista cabinets and work surfaces, and a bunch of tools.
I don’t know the details, probably through some manufacturer’s rep since things were of different brands. I seen how complicated this can get from the selling side.
There’s a whole economy out there based on the needs of larger businesses.
UberChemist
Are tool trucks a common thing? I’ve never seen one in my life. Do they just make the rounds to construction sites?
MM
The ones I’m familiar with–MAC, Snap-On, and Cornwell–target mechanics. Their usual rounds would be places like automotive or marine repair shops, body shops, etc.
JR Ramos
Yeah, usually shop mechanics…to include aviation. Competition is less than it used to be so some have really dwindled and some disappeared but trucks are still very much a thing. Around here it’s primarily SnapOn…we may still have a Mac guy but I think all of the Cornwell guys are long gone.
Back in the day it wasn’t uncommon around here to see both DeWalt and Makita make the rounds at construction sites, just driving around unscheduled as far as I know…sales, demos, some tool swaps. Not always favored by bosses and home base since it pulled some people from work while they were there. I haven’t seen anyone doing that (except burrito trucks…) in ages but I understand that Milwaukee still does some of this. Probably depends a lot on region, too. These days with the internet providing so much information and access/sales it may have diminished the value and expense of companies doing this although the in-person and hands-on can’t be duplicated.
Shanman
Where I live we have snap on , Mac , Marco , Cornwell , and even a couple independent tool trucks.
Tom
This is an example of a brand that could benefit greatly from a battery platform partnership such as the Power for All Alliance or CAS. It’s been close to a decade since I was in the industrial space, but IR had a phenomenal reputation back then. They know how to make great tools, and this would allow them to focus their R&D spend. Battery tech seems like an arms race tied to scale, and niche brands just don’t have the scale to sell a lot of batteries and stay in the running.
I really don’t understand why this isn’t a bigger initiative in the industry because on paper, it seems like everyone wins. Large brands can sell batteries for niche industrial or automotive tools they don’t plan to launch in the immediate future. Those more niche brands can continue to stay relevant and grow as different markets gradually adopt cordless technology, and consumers maintain more options and can vote with their wallets for the solution that best fits their needs.
Ted
On point as usual Tom
Nick
I never ever co.ment on anything but this caught my attention because you said exactly what I was thinking. Same way MAC tools use Dewalt batteries (I think) and several portable welding solutions use different brands platforms, and like you mentioned CAS, it seems IR might benefit greatly from some sort of partnership. I do know that IR provides the most powerful 1 inch cordless impact wrench on the market, but who is really buying that? The Milwaukee might be slightly less scoring on the spec sheet but I would be willing to bet they move significantly more units than the IR. Whether it’s specialty tools or more common things like a high torque 1/2 inch or a angle grinder, either way I would think most consumers sway to big red first. It has to be a tough market for IR cordless. Not to knock thier quality or capabilities at all, I just think they market to a niche group who buy for brand loyalty more than anything. So probably have an excellent profit margin when they convert old school, loyal air tool guys onto a one off cordless purchase. Again, like I said above, if not for anything other than brand loyalty and tradition, there really is no reason not buy the M18 1 inch D handle over the IR. Spec comparisons are minute at that level and I don’t really envision a scenario where one is in need of a new angle grinder where seek9ng out and purchasing an IR branded one is more convenient, economical, powerful and just overall a better product than what good Ol’ home depot stocks on the daily. Spec differences = miniscule. Retail availability seems like you have to know a guy that knows a guy. Where is the benefit? Even with a shared battery platform, is there actually anyone who is seeking out this brand over the major players? No disrespect to the few that do, but it just seems nowadays you would be better off going with an all inclusive mainstream, big guy provider. But still, long live the original uggah-duggah. Much love INGERSOLL-RAND!!!!
Bonnie
MAC uses Dewalt batteries because they’re owned by the same parent company.
A ton of also-ran battery power tool lines are OEM licensed, and the OEM already knows how to make batteries so to them there’s no need to join an alliance.
UberChemist
Totally agree on it’s a tough market to enter. There’s a huge amount of friction to switch brands because battery packs are so much part of the expense and not interchangeable. I switched to DeWalt when my old NiCd battery packs started dying and Li ion batteries were becoming mainstream. It’s hard to imagine another brand coming along with something so spectacular it’d make me switch. I already have two battery ecosystems at home and don’t want a third.
Now I’m wondering if a big boy 12Ah pack would be enough juice to get me to work in an EV, lol. I was joking, but maybe there is a real idea there. Somebody call Ford, I have a 30 battery pack charger/holder/range extender/truck idea.
UberChemist
I was curious so did a little digging. The low end battery capacity for a model 3 is 50 kWh and has 187 mile range. Then 12Ah at 20V is 0.24 kWh. Thus one 20V 12 Ah battery pack would move a Model 3 just under a mile; I’m sure it’s not quite that simple but close.
Then thinking cost. I always hear it’s about $20k to replace an EV battery pack. A 50 kWh EV battery is about 200 big boy drill batteries. The 12Ah Flexvolt is $150, or $30k for equivalent capacity to an EV.
I’m off work this week, so there you go internet, a little taste of what my ADD brain thinks about.
Kentucky fan
I’m sure they could partner with one of the big boys like Klein does with dewalt
fred
I have not researched the corporate history of IR and Gardner-Denver enough. But KKR once had an ownership role that ended completely in 2021. I believe that IR spun off Trane and then merged with Gardner Denver a year earlier. When the KKR relationship was still in place – I had thought that IR small power tools would star to look like ones from Metabo or Metabo-HPT (Hikoki). In any event – IR adopting the Bosch, Metabo or other battery platform would still make sense.
Perry
Each of the companies makes a large margin off of their batteries, iirc. Turning those sales and profit over to another company doesn’t really make sense to shareholders of the parent companies
Rog
Exactly, this is why every company uses their own proprietary batteries
Shanman
Bosch has Amp- share there are like 10 or 12 different tools companies. Mac tool uses DeWalt batteries.
Skalamanga
Battery standardisation needs to be enforced.
There’s nothing special about any of them, they all use off the shelf cells and charging circuits.
Bob
That stagnates future research and improvements. Standards are slow moving. If there’s a government enforced standard, you can’t move to the next technology until it is approved and standardized. At which point, there is no early entry to market advantage and you’re selling at commodity margins. There is no incentive to innovate or differentiate.
And if they leave the standard too loose, you end up with the USB C mess. You have products using a USB C plug, but they only charge with a USB A charger and A to C cable. Or it is USB C, but it requires a higher wattage charger and cable, but the typical consumer can’t tell the difference because there is no labeling standard and either their charger or their cable (or both) are insufficient. This is further compounded by e-waste regulations pushing companies to ship USB C plugged products without chargers and cables, so the consumer may not ever have the right ones. Bureaucrats do not make good product designers.
Voluntary industry alliances are the better way to go.
Bonnie
Minimum standards mitigate the issues you propose. They can’t completely solve it, as backwards compatibility can theoretically hamper development. But for the most part that’s not actually a problem. Theoretically companies could start going in on weird voltages to try and carve out an exclusive space, but they’d just be shooting themselves in the foot by needlessly increasing manufacturing costs and the worst case would just be the same as it already is. Tools exist at 12v/18v/26v/54v for practical reasons.
Any 18v/20V Max tool ever produced can theoretically run on any 18v battery, even if it gets better performance on a certain sub-type as long as the protection circuits are in the right place (which would be inside the tool in this theoretical future like many tool brands already do). The problem with adapters in most cases is the risk of undersized conductors in the cheap no-name adapters or a misaligned combination of protection circuits.
Having a minimum compatibility standard wouldn’t have prevented Dewalt from making Flexvolt, Makita from making XGT, RedLithium, MXFuel, etc
Fowler
“You have products using a USB C plug, but they only charge with a USB A charger and A to C cable”
Not a huge deal, I just wanted to point out what this isn’t a problem with the USB-C standard, but a problem with incorrect implementation. If you design your device according to the spec, this doesn’t happen
fred
I agree but there does not seem to be any legislative will to do so. To some, setting standards flies in the face of free-trade and adds just another set of government regulations. The introduction of automobile seat belts set off much protest even though that standardization had safety and injury mitigation at its core. Saving tool users money and frustration by standardizing battery interfaces and handshaking would seem like a much less compelling case for legislative action. I’m guessing that the manufacturers and lobbyists would have a field day in opposition. Perhaps what seems to be starting in the EU – with Bosch and Metabo will take hold – as some smaller-sales power tool makers decide to adopt one or another more standardized battery platforms.
In the case of Ingersoll Rand – perhaps their profits might be increased by selling more tools via adopting a more popular battery platform. But as others have said, maybe IR thinks that they will make more out of supplying proprietary batteries.
CMF
Legislative will comes into play much more when it deals with safety.
In the auto industry, I remember anti-lock brakes, air bags, 4 wheel steering, all became available on cars at roughly the same time, and just a few years later, automatic parallel parking systems.
The abs and air bags, both being safety related, within a few years became mandated.
The 4 wheel steering and auto park will never be mandated because they are luxury or sport features. Likewise, legislation for 1 unified battery standard, a convenience only, will likely never happen
CMF
As far as IR believing they will do better making their own batteries (more profits) versus a company such as Graco, which adopted Dewalt batteries (more market share),
Different specialties but both relying on air to power their tools. Both agree that cordless battery tecnology is growing and either they get on the bandwagon and offer battery poewered alternatives to their bread & butter tools, otherwise they will slowly be phased out.
I suppose history will let us see down the road if profits (2 posts would have bought the IR saw if buying another less common battery platform wasn’t necessary), or if market share (Graco as well as Lincoln grease guns also use Dewalt batteries), making it easy for someone to buy their feature products because they use a popular battery.
doneanddusted
It’s not much, but I bought a set of their SAE 3/8 impacts. I liked the visibility and finish. Pretty cheap, must be Taiwanese I suppose.
The stupid thing is that their metric 3/8 sets are missing sizes.
Probably anyone can have their own brand of hand tools. Just go to a trade show and cut a deal.
Davis
I bought their 1/2 battery impact in 2018, it was quicker and longer lasting than the other Milwaukee’s on the job. Also got their 1/2 battery ratchet, I’m not sure I’ve used it once.
Saulac
I would if I could, but not these small tools. I saw at a farm store some very nice IR equipment that I did not know they made such as air compressors, floor drills…I think that is where they should focus on. They just can not compete in the small tools anymore.
Plain+grainy
I remember working on an assembly line back in the mid 70’s. The whole line was Ingersoll Rand, every station had the Ingersoll Rand insignia painted on it. The line quit working once in awhile. The line repairman had to call a number( I think in Boston), they would put the phone handset into a special little phone caddy. I think it reprogrammed the computer in the line right through the phone( it would take a few hours before the line was running again.). This was back in the mid 70’s, so IR must have been high tech very early.
MM
I don’t know much about their current business but IR was huge in the air tool industry for many years–not so much things you’d find at retail stores like HD or Ace Hardware, but the industrial side. They were one of the big players when it came to industrial compressors and I think they were probably the biggest name in socket-type tools like air ratchets, impact wrenches, etc. They made other pneumatic tools like sanders as well. I don’t think they were ever a big thing in the small tools space, they’ve always been much more focused on industry and automotive.
Mike
It sucks that they don’t have more tools available. But don’t hate it tell you tried it I have there 2nd gen 1/2 and 3/8 impacts with the halo light ring with that alone is a game changer. But they are still both hitting harder then or just as hard as all the big brands. And the batties last forever. Plus if your looking for precision torque they torque guns that no other brand has are were it’s at.
YR
Yeah their battery precision torque tools are unbeatable at the “low” price. All the competition costs thousands more.
I’m considering those impacts since they seem very attractive and I’m already in the battery ecosystem with the precision torque tools.
doneanddusted
It took a minute to find, but Zoro seems to carry a bunch of IR hand tools and lists the COO.
Taiwan. But then, I’d expect that given the prices.
I agree with whoever said that it’s likely that some commercial user with an IR account might buy this stuff, it’s a different distribution animal than retail users.
Also, I can see where some IR rep would bundle up a complete package for someone and would prefer to sell from in-house.
Chris D
You will see their cordless drive tools more in industrial settings. Particularly in assembly plants where torque control is necessary. In those settings, they are excellent. But at home, I would never consider buying a cordless IR tool or their hand tools.
doneanddusted
from above: “Battery standardisation needs to be enforced.
There’s nothing special about any of them, they all use off the shelf cells and charging circuits.”
I would suggest that the battery company and the tool company would be separate organizations. Naturally, everyone looks at the desktop PC business as a model (and someone needs to remind me why there are more than a couple of wheel bolt patterns for cars).
The important thing isn’t the battery, but the interface, both physical and logical.
JR Ramos
I think this is like your Hilti post in that IR isn’t usually so much of a home gamer company as they are industrial focused. It’s actually just weird to see things like screwdrivers and pliers with their branding. Last year I got a friendly tour of a mid-sized machine shop (large valves mostly) and they had mostly IR air tools and a couple of cordless impacts and grinders (the latter still mostly electric, though). I’ve got a friend who runs an outfit making aircraft and helicopter parts for the military and they are fully equipped now with IR cordless impacts and lots of air tools…they tried out DeWalt and gave that up after a couple years and some of the guys have their own Milwaukee cordless tools as they see fit. But they’ve invested in IR in a big way. Both of these companies are not shopping online or at home depot for onesies but work through their suppliers with purchase orders and supply lists, and IR overall fits their needs really well.
We used to sell a LOT of the lower end automotive IR air tools and they just blew away (no pun intended) anything that CP had to offer. That was the low end market, though, and even the cheapies have come a long way since then if you want something better than what was available just a decade or two back. But the low end offerings are all that most people ever see from IR except maybe some of their smaller two-stage compressors (which are still huge to most people).
Anymore, short of Grainger and one supply house, IR doesn’t seem to have much public presence around here, and there are so many options today that serve needs very well for the majority of home gamers, trades, and some smaller scope industrial manufacturing, it wouldn’t surprise me if IR had a smaller footprint in the big picture, but then again, who knows how big that footprint still is in the larger world of industry and manufacturing where hand tools are still used much.
Curious to see their introduction and evolution with cordless tools. One of those cases where they had to get into something new, were a bit late, and less focused on it or the racing development that others had going on. But the tools do the job and surpass many others. I wouldn’t fault them for falling short in places because it’s just not their thing and they aren’t putting out crap that doesn’t work or last well in a frequent-use setting. From their customer base purchasing standpoint, if the tools are doing the job, aren’t failing too soon (including battery packs), and there is a fair industrial price that might save someone time on the customer’s administrative side, then it’s a win. Doesn’t have to be the lowest price or the highest performance specs or fancy marketing bullet points, just has to do the job they need and be cost effective overall. IR generally does that great or more than great.
But really, what is this pliers and screwdrivers business? Did they form a spinoff division for this stuff? Kinda like Estwing’s “licensed” lineup?
Stephen C Williams
It’s all about branding.
Business school marketing. Who buys Bell& Howell flashlights off of TV?
KG21Unth
IR branded tools are one of 50+ brands within the conglomerate that is Ingersoll Rand. Over the past few years, the parent company have gone through a capital allocation cycle of acquisitions and spin offs that has been favorable to its shareholders. And the tools business is part of a division that focuses on products and services tied to industrial air handling (compressors, blowers, pumps etc.) where they compete with the likes of Atlas Copco and IDEX etc and material handling equipment.
I think IR operates in a different category of industrial professionals and may feel like they compete in a different arena than the more famous P tool brands. Like you, I always viewed their pneumatic tools as a signature line and as you mentioned – the pneumatic tool product line is getting replaced with cordless tools. They should have strong relevance in the diagnostic tools space.
I don’t know though if that category and arena are shrinking and whether it makes sense for a company to continue to be in the category (Like Danaher and tools or GE and appliances). From a product and channel mgmt. standpoint, it feels like they design and engineer for factory and shop techs but sell to procurement folks/shop managers and this product line is part of a suite of solutions for their intended customers within the air handling space.
Tom’s suggestion is a great suggestion to form an alliance with a battery partner but I dont think its a priority for such a conglomerate though. Divisions such as these in conglomerates help generate the cash to allocate into growth divisions.
DC
At one point I was looking to purchase IR’s 20V 1/2″ Cordless Impact to complement my Milwaukee 2767 impact but it was no where to be found in Hawaii and Amazon plus other’s wouldn’t ship to Hawaii.
Nathan
It has a decent commercial following. And you will see their cordless tools in some shops but also manufacturing places. Example it was the first cordless torque wrench with recording capability I know of. Yes before Milwaukee. So many assembly plants had them. They need to torque housing bolts to … In lbs etc and have a record of every assembly.
I’ve seen it cordless impacts and ratchets in hangars on occasion but not often as I see more red and yellow cropping up
And I think eventually it will exit the market and stick with air or corded tools but I could be wrong. They should come out with a partnership with DeWalt or Milwaukee or ? Battery. Like Graco and others have done
Nathan
Another example I think IR had a compact 1/2 and 3/8 drive impact wrench with reasonable torque and speed well before either the Milwaukee or DeWalt offerings.
Oh and so e toll truck operators will carry IR products on their truck.
Eric
We have the big impact, drill, and grinders. They’re great tools, with more power than our Milwaukee tools while also being more robust. BUT, they’re huge in comparison. They’re very bulky and heavy, which is probably why they’ve held up so well.
Al
My first cordless impact wrench was the ir 2767 back in 2013. Cordless was just hitting the automotive market then. I remember everyone scoffing at me when i used it. Like you mentioned, they werent innovating much and i was finding it difficult to get good deals on batteries and other tools. I sold it on ebay about 4 years ago and switched to milwaukee. At the time, they had some tools other companies didnt have, but they didnt continue. It was an excellent tool i must say. Beat the hell out of that thing and it worked perfect everyday.
Joren
Same. Haven’t bought anything in years from them. But the 1” caught my eye a few months ago. Don’t know anyone that competes with this yet. https://powertools.ingersollrand.com/en-us/impact-wrenches/w9000
Joren
Stuart, do you have any leads on comparable cordless impacts?
Stuart
Other than knowing Milwaukee also has one, 1” impacts are beyond my familiarity.
I also haven’t delved too deeply into torque control and non-reactive fastening tools.